In the wake of movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, it has never been more evident that we still have a long way to go before our society and our workplaces are fair and equitable places that are devoid of systemic racism and discrimination.

In Bias Interrupted, Joan Williams outlines five forms of biases that are still far too common in our workplaces, with each consistently occurring over the two decades of research and practice from the field.

• The prove-it-again bias – Williams highlights how white men tend to get by on their potential and are judged accordingly.  People who are less privileged by their race, gender, and so on, however, more often have to constantly prove themselves in order to get ahead.
• The tightrope bias – It’s also well known that behaviors, such as assertiveness, that serve white men well in the workplace are often harmful to other groups.  Williams illustrates the behavioral and political tightrope that less privileged groups and how challenging this can be.
• The tug-of-war bias – It’s fairly well known that biases can favor those members of in-groups, such as college-educated individuals or (again) white men, but Williams highlights how these biases can also create conflicts within the out-groups as it’s not clear whether they should strive to be part of the in-group or use their political capital to stand up for the out-group they’re a part of.
• Racial biases – Racial discrimination is fairly well understood, but Williams argues that there are also numerous racial biases and stereotypes that harm the prospects of people at work, whether it’s the leadership potential of Asian Americans or the tendency to view Latinx employees as angry for displaying behaviors that wouldn’t be judged so for white employees.
• Maternal wall bias – I’ve written recently about the motherhood penalties that exist in the workplace, and Williams highlights how harmful it can be to the career prospects of women.

“These five forms of bias have obvious negative effects on people who experience them,” Williams writes.  “Our data shows that they hurt companies too.  Increases in bias are linked with decreases in ability to do one’s best work, intent to stay, ability to see a path for advancement, belonging, and career satisfaction.”

The book aims to make these kinds of biases more visible before outlining various strategies that can help organizations overcome them.  If we are to truly make our workplaces better then it’s a book that’s well worth reading.  The website that accompanies the book also comes with a treasure trove of useful resources, worksheets, and research that is incredibly valuable.